How I Made It How a former IBM executive redefined Australia’s restaurant scene
Nov 2, 2025
Chris Lucas, a renowned Australian restaurateur and former IBM executive, shares his fascinating journey from corporate life to transforming the restaurant scene. He reveals how growing up in his father's pub and the loss of his dad shaped his culinary passion. Lucas discusses leveraging corporate marketing to revolutionize hospitality, notably with the iconic Chin Chin, which broke norms with its no-reservations model. He reflects on the importance of hard work and timing in his success while expressing a desire to expand his culinary vision beyond Melbourne.
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Pub Childhood Shaped Early Responsibility
- Chris Lucas grew up in his father's pub in Geelong and learned adult conversations early from regulars like wharf workers.
- Losing his father at 15 forced him to grow up quickly and take on responsibilities while working multiple jobs and attending university.
Tech Career Fast-Tracked Global Thinking
- Working at IBM during the PC revolution exposed Chris to rapid industry growth and global opportunities in his twenties.
- That corporate experience fast-tracked his skills and gave him a global perspective he later applied to hospitality.
Sold Tech Stake To Fund Restaurants
- At 35 Chris sold a stake in Primus Telecom and returned to Australia to raise his children and pursue his long-held restaurant ambition.
- He used proceeds from that sale and a pivot into property to fund his first restaurant, One Fitzroy Street, in 1995.